My Reporter - Wilmington's Christmas trees to stay up until Jan. 6

Wednesday

Jan 1, 2014 at 10:47 PM

Q. How long will the Christmas tree stay up in downtown Wilmington?

Q. How long will the Christmas tree stay up in downtown Wilmington?A. The downtown Christmas tree will last through the 12 days of Christmas.The Christmas tree at North Water and Princess streets is maintained by the Downtown Business Association, and the one at the Rotary Wheel in Greenfield Park is the city's official tree, according to Dylan Lee, the city's GTV manager.Both will keep their festive lights until Jan. 6, he said.

– Si Cantwell

Q. Are bars that don't have a permit to cook or serve food allowed to offer a free buffet?A. Who doesn't love, a free lunch, right? According to N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Special Agent David Hales, who heads the agency's Wilmington district, his office isn't tasked with regulating an establishment's decision to provide a free buffet.He did, however, note that the county health department might have a stake in the owner's act of generosity. Free or not, Hales said, they are still required to play by the basic rules of food safety.